Pete Haynes claims he was sexually abused by former assistant ref Hugh Stevenson – who was officially accredited to the SFA at the time

He said the abuse continued until 1982, and added: “[It happened] two or three times a week on average…he always, from that point on, he always seemed to know where I would be because of my football connections.

“There would always be a fixture list published anyway so he would know them well in advance.

“He would take coaches of boys…away for football tournaments. At those times I would get a break…but it was every week, it was every few days.

“It escalated quite quickly. From that point on the abuse would take place in his house.

“He done things to me that I find difficult to talk about in great detail but it was about every depraved sexual act that you can think of, up to and including rape.

He said he turned to the Scottish Football Association and was invited to meet the late Jim Farry, the then chief executive.

He said: “They did tell me that Hugh Stevenson was known to them but he was no longer an SFA affiliate.

“They said they were very sorry for what had happened to me and, in way of some sort of apology, they gave me a tour of the building in Park Gardens.

“That was the last I heard from them.”

The coach was listed as officials for feeder clubs Eastercraigs Boys Club for periods between the late 1970s and mid 1980s before being asked to leave in the mid-80s for attempting inappropriate contact with a boy at another club.

He then moved to the Glasgow-based Chelsea Boys Club, which had an affiliation to the London club, and Ferguslie United in Paisley.

SFA chief executive Stewart Regan said his organisation took full responsibility for the child protection failings of the past.

He said: “I’m sickened as a father, as a director of the Scottish FA. It sickens me to the stomach to think that somebody (a) has been abused and (b) has tried to report it and has received no positive feedback or help or assistance in actually taking the matter forward.

“Clearly at the moment we need to understand the information and we’re grateful to the BBC and indeed grateful to Peter Haynes for having the guts and the bravery to come forward and speak about something that must be pretty uncomfortable for him.

“I apologise deeply to Peter Haynes for the fact that this matter wasn’t taken seriously. It was an issue that clearly him and his parents felt so strongly about that they tried to do everything that they possibly could, and the Scottish FA at the time didn’t appear to listen, and nothing came of it.